Noxious fumes send workers to hospital

Health workers from the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) were kept busy for several hours yesterday, as more than a dozen persons were rushed to the emergency room after inhaling noxious fumes at the Central Sorting Office on South Camp Road, Kingston.

The building, that also houses a Sutherland Global Services office, had to be evacuated while fire personnel tried to determine the source of the fumes.

As staff members converged outside the building, one female said that although she was given the permission to go home, she was displeased with the way the matter was handled.

"The alarm went off after most of us were already outside. I was upstairs, and a lot of persons were saying that they smelled gas. When it got stronger, we went downstairs. We were all there ingesting all those harmful fumes. I am asthmatic, and I have to leave work to visit the doctor right now. We really don't know what's happening, as no one is telling us much, and that is bad. It is persons' health that we are talking about," she said.

Most employees from the Central Sorting Office and Sutherland Global Services were tight-lipped about the incident, stating that they were not at liberty to speak with the media.

But, according to a few Sutherland staff members, they were told that normal duties would resume within a couple of hours.

It is understood that although some workers were sent home, those working on the late shift were told to begin their shift.

Yesterday afternoon, members of the management team were said to be locked in a meeting to discuss the unfortunate incident.

Assistant Superintendent and Watch Commander of the Rollington Town Fire Brigade, Howard Darlington, said that the fire personnel are still trying to pinpoint the source of the fumes.